The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-10-10
uTAH's FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.
Nearly One Thousand People over
seventy Years of Age-One Hundred
and Twenty who Are Past Eighty.

Among tnc curlOSllles Oh mOrinOn-
dom are It's old peoples says Salt Lake
letter to The ST. Louis Globe Democrat.
1t is an absolute pleasure to look upon
them. Dozens of men in their eighties
may be seen on the streets every day.
Hale and hearty fellows they are, with
gray boards and broad shoulders, and
they do not appear to be over 90.
Some of them are Mormon bishops;
nearly all are elders, and not few are
polygsmists. Look at the late John
TAYLOR, who was four-score, and he
had seven wives. Examine the re-
cords of the Utah penitentiary. and
there will be found many men in the
sixties who served. or are now serv-
ING, six months terms for unlawful
cohabitation. Lorenzo Snow, who is
in his seventy-seventh year, was in the
pen for nine months, and might
have been there longer had not the
United States supreme court come to
his relief and helped him out. In the
tabernacle on Sunday afternoon hum
dreds of white heads and faces sancti-
fled by age greet the eyes, and there
seems to be great deal OF truth in
what Eliza X. Snow said to me the
other day, when reference was made to
her great age: ave Mormons believe
it is our duty to live past TO-" "Miss"
Snow is SO. but as quick witted and as
active on her feet as many woman OF
less than GO. She throws off poem
occasionally, and writes a book when
ever the notion takes her. But rs l
have already written about miss"
Snow in previous letter, | will pass
her by with this mention. Many OF
the undergraduates who have been
evading the officers of the law for
several years past are either octogenar-
ans or far advanced septuagenarians
They are every bit as spry as the
younger fellows in keeping out of the
way of the authorities. Most of these
old folks belong to the pioneer days
and came to Salt Lake valley when
there was nothing here but sage brush
and alkali plains. Some of them have
footed it six or seven times across what
was then the great American desert to
the Missouri river, and | believe that If
there was revelation announced to-
night calling on all the 20 and so year
olds in Utah to mount shank's mare
and start for Omaha in the old primi-
tive way, there would not be solitary
saint or sinner among them who would
plead age or hesitate about going.
The majority have been and still are in
a sense agriculturists. They have
found Ponce de Icons fountain of
youth in the scent of the clover fields
and the breaths of snow that blow
from the Wasatch mountains. They
have led temperate, frugal lives. and
the sap and strength of the soil haye
grown into their structure and systems.
1t would do anybody good to look at
them. And Utah is proud of them!
so proud that she gives them the very
best care and awards them the same
generous attention that potted children
always receive.
There are many pretty ideas in the
Mormon system of religion, and one
of the prettiest l think is the glorious
need of admiration for which the old
folks come in. In addition to the care
and attention bestowed upon them in
the way of providing for their regular
wants, one day each year is set apart
for them, and it is called Old Folks
day. The late Edward Hunter, who
was the presiding bishop of the Mormon
church from 1850 to 1888, and who
himself died in the latter year at the
advanced age of 80, conceived the plan
of giving every man and woman over
20 years of age, in the neighborhood of
Salt Lake City, days outing each
wear. He instituted Old Folks day in
1875, and 1t has been q success ever
since. The idea has been adopted in
other parts of the territory. and lately
some enthusiast has done vigorous
writing in behalf OF establishing a
national old folk day, when the cities
Of the nation can trot out their 70-year-
olds and let them have a little fun.
Here they have their recreation every
22d of June, which was Bishop Hunt
er's birthday. The last time they went
to Ogden and spent six or seven hours
in its public park. with music, dancing,
refreshments, and all The concomitants